The nose creates expectations that are wildly, delightfully overturned by the palate, perhaps more so than any other wine I've tried. The smell is JUICY, ripe, fruity, and very, very dark--practically like a plum orchard. So imagine my surprise to discover a rather balanced taste, with finessed hints of citrus peel, graphite, bacon fat, and cooked fruit. (There's a lovely nutty, sour push in the finish, akin to sucking on the pit of a barbecued peach.) Some cacao nib in there too, after a while--or maybe dark chocolate with candied orange peel.
This stands up to lots of briny tapas quite well, and even gives some of them a run for their money. My first Oxer wine, but I'm already a fan.
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Surprised by the other ratings here--I had this at Emeril's wine bar in NOLA, and it was a delight. A bit "rawer" than Clos Erasmus; less finesse, more tannins, but quite tasty. Loads of herbs on the nose, stewed plum and black olive, smoke, a dash of butter, a sprinkle of minerality. Probably at the end of its drinking window--after 45 minutes the alcohol content really shone through.
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Quite special. Olive tapenade that gives way to crackling pie fruit--the nose smells like charred sugar and blackberry--and ends with a bright, mineral finish, like sucking on a tart penny. I'm not sure if this is SO much better than the label's cheaper Laurel to deserve the price tag, but the flavors here are a lot stronger, and after two hours or so they balance out marvelously. This is kind of like Laurel's snooty older sister--a bit more refined, with more delicate fruit and savory notes, and less herbal energy. It's possible that I drank this a little young as well--I'd like to taste Clos Eramus at the 10 year point for a comparison. But either way this is damn fine juice from one of the world's finest vintners.
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2020 Oxer Bastegieta Ahari
4/11/2024 - jonnysandwich Likes this wine: 93 Points
The nose creates expectations that are wildly, delightfully overturned by the palate, perhaps more so than any other wine I've tried. The smell is JUICY, ripe, fruity, and very, very dark--practically like a plum orchard. So imagine my surprise to discover a rather balanced taste, with finessed hints of citrus peel, graphite, bacon fat, and cooked fruit. (There's a lovely nutty, sour push in the finish, akin to sucking on the pit of a barbecued peach.) Some cacao nib in there too, after a while--or maybe dark chocolate with candied orange peel.
This stands up to lots of briny tapas quite well, and even gives some of them a run for their money. My first Oxer wine, but I'm already a fan.
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2011 Clos Mogador Priorat Manyetes
3/23/2024 - jonnysandwich Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprised by the other ratings here--I had this at Emeril's wine bar in NOLA, and it was a delight. A bit "rawer" than Clos Erasmus; less finesse, more tannins, but quite tasty. Loads of herbs on the nose, stewed plum and black olive, smoke, a dash of butter, a sprinkle of minerality. Probably at the end of its drinking window--after 45 minutes the alcohol content really shone through.
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2019 Clos Erasmus Priorat
3/8/2024 - jonnysandwich Likes this wine: 93 Points
Quite special. Olive tapenade that gives way to crackling pie fruit--the nose smells like charred sugar and blackberry--and ends with a bright, mineral finish, like sucking on a tart penny. I'm not sure if this is SO much better than the label's cheaper Laurel to deserve the price tag, but the flavors here are a lot stronger, and after two hours or so they balance out marvelously. This is kind of like Laurel's snooty older sister--a bit more refined, with more delicate fruit and savory notes, and less herbal energy. It's possible that I drank this a little young as well--I'd like to taste Clos Eramus at the 10 year point for a comparison. But either way this is damn fine juice from one of the world's finest vintners.
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